Key Takeaways
- A sacred cow is a closely-held belief that is not to be questioned or transgressed.
- In finance and economics, sacred cows may refer to tenets such as free-market capitalism, fair wages, or universal healthcare (depending on who you are talking to).
- Sometimes sacred cows are still held on to even if they are proven to be myths or misinformed.
Where are cows considered sacred?
Cows are considered sacred in India because they are believed to be the friendliest, most patient, and most protective creatures on the planet. Cows are sacred because they are the Earth's mother, the source of all nourishment, and the provider of all strength. A cow is a symbol of divinity and thus should be protected.
What is a sacred cow in the US?
In the United States , the term “ sacred cow ” has become an idiom used to denote someone or something that is exempt from criticism . A senior manager ’s blind loyalty to an obsolete product or process they introduced to the company long ago is an example of a sacred cow .
What is the definition of Sacred Cow?
Sacred cow is an idiom, a figurative reference to cattle in religion and mythology. A figurative sacred cow is a figure of speech for something considered immune from question or criticism, especially unreasonably so. This idiom is thought to originate in American English, although similar or even identical idioms occur in many other languages.
What is another word for sacred cows?
most common Unique synonym related Find another word for sacred-cow. In this page you can discover 14 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for sacred-cow, like: protected interest, thing above criticism, person above criticism, idol, favorite, pet, god, goddess, golden-calf, hero and object of worship.
What is a sacred cow in project management?
When you're hesitant to raise objections to something — a badly planned but popular school fundraiser, for example — you can call the project a sacred cow. The phrase comes from the belief of devout Hindus that cows are sacred animals and should never be harmed.
What does the saying a sacred cow mean?
Definition of sacred cow : one that is often unreasonably immune from criticism or opposition.
Is saying sacred cow offensive?
This slang term is used in many English-speaking countries, although some people find it offensive because of its origins. As a slang term, "sacred cow" is derived from the status held by cows in Hindu culture, where the cow is regarded as a sacred animal.
What is a sacred cow called?
In ancient Hindu texts, the cow appears as "Kamdhenu" or the divine cow, which fulfils all desires. Its horns symbolize the gods, its four legs, the ancient Hindu scriptures or the "Vedas" and its udder, the four objectives of life, including material wealth, desire, righteousness and salvation.
How do you use sacred cow in a sentence?
a person unreasonably held to be immune to criticism.Some newspapermen respected too many sacred cows.Let's not make a sacred cow of the monarchy.They did not dare to challenge the sacred cow of parliamentary democracy.Motherhood is a sacred cow to most politicians.The villagers a sacred cow of the monarchy.More items...•
What religion has sacred cows?
Since the faith first evolved near Asia's Indus River more than 3,000 years ago, respect for animal life has been a central theme in Hindu life. While many scholars say early Hindus ate beef, most ultimately came to see the cow as a sacred animal to be esteemed, not eaten.
What can I say instead of sacred cow?
synonyms for sacred cowgod.goddess.golden calf.hero.idol.object of worship.protected interest.sensitive issue.More items...
Is Holy Cow insensitive?
Big-league Swear Words "Holy cow" is what's known as a "minced oath." It's when you substitute a kind of maybe similar-ish-sounding word for a taboo word. That's why we have "frickin" and "dang it" and "shizz." In this case, "cow" is probably a stand-in for "Christ" so the speaker wouldn't take the Lord's name in vain.
Why are cows sacred in India?
The primary reason Hindus worship cows is that they consider them a gift from the gods. Cows provide us with milk, butter, cheese, fuel, and a cleanser, and more but require nothing in return. These animals do more for humans than any other animal to the Hindu people.
Why is cow worshipped?
In Vaishnava mythology, the cow came to be seen as an embodiment of Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth. In the Bhagavata Purana, the earth takes the form of a cow and asks Vishnu to protect her. That is why Vishnu, her guardian, is called Go-pala, protector of the earth-cow.
What is the sacred cow in India?
Hinduism specifically considers the zebu (Bos indicus) to be sacred. Respect for the lives of animals including cattle, diet in Hinduism and vegetarianism in India are based on the Hindu ethics.
Why are the cows sacred in India?
Hindus do not consider the cow to be a god and they do not worship it. Hindus, however, are vegetarians and they consider the cow to be a sacred symbol of life that should be protected and revered. In the Vedas, the oldest of the Hindu scriptures, the cow is associated with Aditi, the mother of all the gods.
What is sacred cow?
A “sacred cow,” by definition is an individual, organization, or institution considered to be exempt from criticism or questioning. By trade, a sacred cow is an individual who is often critiqued and questioned behind closed doors by those who must attempt to manage them. Sacred cows are ubiquitous in the private club industry. Over the last several years of attending private club and chef’s conferences, I have found that the topic of the sacred cow issue has become an easy ice-breaker and conversation piece while networking.
Do sacred cows come in to work?
Sacred cows come in to work, do the exact same routine that they have done for years. When new service protocols and standards are implemented, they’re the last ones to get on board and only after several reminders and slight reprimands do they finally start to change their ways. It took me months to get my sacred cow to start using fresh house made stock in his chili recipe in lieu of the nasty tub of base he had become so accustomed to because “this was how it has been done for the last (insert number) years.”
Do sacred cows perform well?
As it turns out, sacred cows perform well above mediocrity in providing a level of service that not even us as managers can fathom. We’re often times too busy with our noses buried in financials and strategic planning meetings to even worry about what Mr. Smith likes in his latte this week or just how high to fill the iced tea before topping it off with lemonade for Mrs. Jones.
What does "sacred cow" mean?
disapproving : someone or something that has been accepted or respected for a long time and that people are afraid or unwilling to criticize or question. See the full definition for sacred cow in the English Language Learners Dictionary.
Is health care a sacred cow?
The sacred cows of health care are no longer looking so sacred, and the right health care companies and venture investors will recognize this opportunity and maximize their ability to do well by doing good.
Men and women handle situations differently
But at the end of the day, both genders often experience the same challenges in business—one of which is the Sacred Cow Leader (SCL). Men are conditioned to challenge others and oftentimes defy authority unless it’s a club they want to be part of. Fair enough.
What happens when faced with a Sacred Cow in the business world?
Is defiance, distain, or even a passive-aggressive approach the best way to navigate this difficult leadership style? In order to determine the best course of action it’s important to know what a SCL is and how he or she came to be in a position of leadership. Knowing the HOW and WHY is essential.
What people may not know about the Sacred Cow
They have moved up through the ranks because of their longevity. Their willingness to stick it out oftentimes puts them in a position of leadership that they are completely unequipped to handle.
Straightforward confrontation is not recommended
Ignoring the situation or deploying passive-aggressive techniques will only bring you more stress and anxiety. Indeed, neither will actually work.
Third, you must take actions which will help you regain your own personal power in this situation
Get more sleep, do more physical exercise, find the humor in the situation and laugh as much and as often as possible. Oftentimes people think the solution is more complicated, when in fact it is not.
By taking back your own power you are accepting the responsibility for your own happiness and fulfillment rather than depending upon external factors
At that point, you can make a less emotional and more rational decision to continue working with or for a Sacred Cow Leader or not. But in the meantime, you’ll know how to cow tip and take your power back where it belongs— into your hands.
